


Joey and Jeffrey

by crazyTXgradstudent



Category: Jeffrey Dean Morgan - Fandom, Jeffrey Dean Morgan/Original Female Character - Fandom, Real Person Fiction, The Walking Dead RPF
Genre: Cute, F/M, Fluff, Introverts unite, Male-Female Friendship, possible friends to lovers, the walking dead - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2016-04-02
Packaged: 2018-05-30 01:34:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6403315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazyTXgradstudent/pseuds/crazyTXgradstudent
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Cute little mini-fic about Jeffrey Dean Morgan and his new role as Negan.  I just had to get it outta my head.  My title sucks, so if you've got suggestions,  let me hear 'em!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Peace and quiet.

Finally.

Joey carefully cradled her sack lunch, drink, and cell phone against her chest as she made her way out a little farther. The closer she got the edge of the forest, the better she felt.

It was peaceful here, and the way the leaves were changing colors and dropping to the ground warmed her heart, even as the cooling wind nipped at her skin. She found a spot near the base of a lone tree, walked around it and sat down. She sighed in contentment and leaned back against the base as she wrapped her hoodie tighter around her. From here, she was completely hidden from the cast and crew and tents and goings-on, and at least for a little while, she had some privacy.  Just her and her thoughts.  She tilted her head back and lifted her chin up to catch the last few rays of the sun before it disappeared below the pine trees.

Fall was coming. It was one of those days when it was cold in the morning, and just when you'd gotten warmed up by the afternoon, the temperature dropped again.  Joey was more than glad to be through with the sweltering heat of Georgia, though, and she would take fall any day.  Even if it meant wearing lots of clothes and removing lots of clothes - _all_ _in_ _the same day!_

She’d been working on the set of _The_ _Walking_ _Dead_ for almost a year now, and while she loved her job, she’d never really been a "joiner".  To say she was an introvert was an understatement; it was probably why she was so good at her job as assistant to the head special effects and make-up artist, Greg Nicotero.  Working behind the scenes was good for her, and she was content staying hidden in the shadows. 

“Oh I’m sorry!” a deep voice interrupted the quiet, and Joey startled at the intrusion. She shielded her eyes with her hand to block the sun and looked up. Way up.

It was the new guy. The new bad guy on the show, the guy who played Negan.  She was pretty sure his name was Jeffrey, or Jeff, but she couldn’t be sure.  While Joey had never really taken notice of him before, she had heard he’d been in a different movies, none of which were really her thing.  Books were more her thing, truth be told.  

“Mind if I join you?” the man asked, and Joey blushed, realizing she had been musing all the while she was staring up at him.

“Sure!” she squeaked out, only furthering her blush. God she was so embarrassing!

The man chuckled as he shoved one hand in his pocket.

“Look, I don’t wanna interrupt. I was just looking for some quiet; I didn’t mean to bother you.”

Joey continued looking up at him.  He was a big man, well over 6 feet tall, with a salt and pepper beard.  All the times she'd seen him from afar, he had given off an air of intimidation, and she'd always steered clear of him.  But right now he looked…bashful? Shy?   There was no other way to put it, except he looked bashful, and unsure of himself… _and_ _completely and utterly cute_.

Joey’s cheeks heated again at her wayward thoughts. _Cute???_

Not hearing a response, the man turned to walk away, but Joey quickly stood up to halt him with a hand on his forearm. 

“I’m sorry! I was daydreaming, and…anyways…you can join me if you’d like!” she rushed out. The man turned back around, and smiled at her, and Joey felt her stomach flip-flop.  She quickly dropped her hand from his sleeve. 

He had dimples tucked away underneath that scruff.   _Holy_ _shit_ _did_ _he_ _have_ _dimples_.  She blinked up at him like a moron, and his smile widened even further.  His head tilted to the side as he studied her.

“Are you sure? ‘Cause I can go…” he motioned back towards the set.  He was still grinning, and something about his grin caused Joey to relax.  She didn’t feel threatened around him, didn’t feel like he was imposing, and that was weird for her; she usually preferred her own company, but there was something about him that was easy and inviting.

She relaxed a little, and nodded down at her spot by the tree.

“You can join me if you want.” She smiled and ducked her head. “I was trying to escape, myself.” She chanced a glance back up at him, and found him still grinning at her.

“Then I think I’ll hang out with you for a while,” the man chuckled as he walked back over to her.  He knelt down on the ground as he laid his own bag of food down.  Joey went back and resumed her seat next to the tree, although she scooted over a bit to give him room.

“I’m Jeffrey, by the way,” the man offered his hand to Joey.

She was shaking when she took his hand in hers, and she just as quickly let go. She prayed he didn’t feel her trembling. She was making such a damn fool of herself!  Technically she worked for this man, for heaven's sake!

“I’m Joey,” she mumbled as she busied herself with her food.  Anything to distract herself from him and his dimples. 

“So what do you do, Joey?” Jeffrey asked as he opened his deli sandwich and took a bite.

“I’m uh…I work in the makeup department.” She fiddled with the wrapper on her sandwich. “What do you do?”

The damn question slipped out before she could retract it, and she felt her cheeks bloom with fire yet again.  Did she ever think before she allowed shit to fly out of her mouth??

Beside her, Jeffrey laughed, a deep belly laugh that had him rocking back on his bottom.  Joey blushed again, but she couldn’t hide the smile that appeared at Jeffrey’s reaction to her idiotic question.

“I’m sorry. I know who you are,” Joey shyly glanced at him. “I just don’t wanna seem…I don’t know…forget it.” Joey busied herself with her sandwich, and took a bite, even though eating was the farthest thing from her mind.  Running off into the trees seemed like as good an idea as any right about now...

“They tell me I’m here to ‘fuck shit up’,” Jeffrey leaned over and whispered conspiratorially.  This caused Joey to laugh out loud, and resulted in Jeffrey laughing again with her.  When they both had quieted, Joey leaned back against the tree first, with Jeffrey quickly following; their shoulders were barely touching, but Joey didn’t feel threatened with Jeffrey.  A comfortable silence ensued, and both ate their food as they stared over the field and towards the tree line.

  
The sun had just disappeared when Jeffrey’s cell phone buzzed in his pocked.  With a sigh, he pulled it out and stared at it before quickly shoving it back in his pocket.

“Work calls,” he muttered apologetically.  Joey nodded her head, but smiled as she cleaned up her mess.  She needed to get back as well, as night shoots were getting ready to happen shortly.  She looked up to see Jeffrey holding out his hand to help her up; she gratefully took it and stood.

“Thanks,” she blushed again as she released his hand and pretended to dust off her jeans.  Touching him, him touching her...it was all a bad idea, and she had to remind herself again that she worked for this man!

“No, thank you,” Jeffrey replied. “I can’t tell you how good it is to get away from all that madness.”

Joey peered up at him as she shuffled her backpack on. She was having trouble with one of the straps where it had twisted against her shoulder. It was an old backpack, and was barely holding together as it was. 

“That bad, huh?” she asked as she tried to fix the tangled strap.  Without asking, Jeffrey reached around her and gently untwisted it.  Joey held her breath as his fingertips went underneath the strap for just a moment; she could feel the heat from his hand as if he were touching her bare skin!  She stared at the base of his neck, right where his tee shirt ended and skin began.  She could see bits of chest hair as they peeked over the top, and she licked her lip involuntarily.   _What_ _the hell was wrong with her??_

“Not bad,” he mumbled as he finished with the strap. “Just tiring, sometimes, you know?”  Backpack crisis averted, he grinned down at her, and nodded back towards the site. “Wanna walk back together? Wouldn’t want the zombies to get you out here in the dark.”

That quip sobered her up immediately.  

Unable to help herself,  Joey stepped closer to Jeffrey as she nervously peered over her shoulder and into the growing darkness in the woods.  She felt a shiver roll over her body, and she clutched the straps of her backpack tightly.  How she had managed to work on a zombie show and not have a nervous breakdown was beyond her, because she was terrified of the work Greg did!  It took everything in her to not run screaming for the hills at some of the things she’d helped create; it was bad enough the jokes that were always being played on her by the cast members and extras!

“Did I freak you out?” Jeffrey, noticing her discomfort, asked playfully.  Joey just shrugged, and tried to be as nonchalant as possible.  What kind of idiot works on a zombie show and is scared of zombies??   He had to think she was a complete idiot. 

“Zombies just aren’t my thing.” Joey took off walking, back towards the lights…and people.  Lights and people were good.

“And you work on The Walking Dead?” Jeffrey laughed again as he followed behind her. With his long legs and stride, he quickly caught up to her, and they fell in-step as they walked.

“It’s a job,” Joey mumbled, more to herself than him.

“Well it’s a good thing I’m a Savior, and not a walker, huh?” Jeffrey playfully nudged her shoulder.  Grateful for his teasing, Joey couldn’t help her smile and bumped him back just as playfully.

“We’ll see about that,” she giggled.

She kept close to Jeffrey’s side all the way back…just in case. 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

For the next few months, Joey and Jeffrey would find time to sneak off together, whether it was lunch or dinner breaks, or anytime in-between. They spent their time talking about their families, and telling stories about their childhoods.  Joey was considerably younger than Jeffrey, with her having just turned 28 to his 49, but they never lacked for things to talk about…or laugh about.   Joey found herself looking forward to the times that she could spend with Jeffrey, even counting down the minutes sometimes like a child would on Christmas!

Being as shy as she was, she didn't consider herself as having a lot of friends. It’s just who she was, who she’d always been, and she’d always been okay with that. She’d not had a traumatic childhood; her parents were still happily married and retired down in Florida, and her younger brother had his own family down in Texas. They were a close family, but a quiet family, and Joey had always kept to herself. She preferred the company of books and journaling to clubbing and partying as most of her friends did. College had been a fun - _but trying_ \- time for her, as she’d always felt pressured to do things she didn’t want to do. More times than not, she found herself locked away in the university library, her feet tucked under her as she occupied a small corner in the back, with some old classic in her hand.  

She’d had boyfriends over the years, but nothing serious. Her longest lasting relationship was just over a year, and that one ended due to her unwillingness to take their relationship to the next level.  She remembered how much it had hurt when Bradley, her then boyfriend, had told her that _“she was going to be the real life versio_ n _of_ _the_ _40_ _year_ _old_ _virgin_ ” if she didn't lighten up.  While it had hurt at the time, Joey didn’t let it bother her anymore.  It was just one of those things that she thought should be reserved for someone she loved, and it wasn’t her fault she’d never loved any of her boyfriends.  She had always been told she was an old soul, and maybe she was old-fashioned, but it was what it was, and it would sort itself out eventually.  

Which was why it was all the more surprising when she became cognizant of the fact that she was starting to feel something for Jeffrey, something more than just friendly concern.

It was slow, the development of her feelings for him, and it honestly crept up on her before she even realized it had happened.  She wasn’t sure if it was love, or what it was, but she knew she worried about him.   She knew that she cared about him, and that she hated when he was away from her, she away from him.    

The first time she realized just how strongly she felt for him was when Jeffrey had gotten hurt on set.

She remembered that day vividly…

They had just finished shooting one of the most brutal scenes of the season, and it required some stunt work.   Jeffrey, being the hard-head that he was, had insisted on doing as much as he could so as to keep it authentic.   Joey recalled feeling her stomach sink when she’d heard the explosion, and seeing the fire that broke out afterwards had her thinking the worst had happened.  It was pyrotechnics that had gone terribly wrong, and Jeffrey had ended up with a fractured clavicle, bruised ribs, cuts across his face, and his lower lip busted.  Joey had wanted to cry, and had very nearly started when she saw him being loaded into the ambulances and taken to the nearest hospital with the rest of the injured crew.  She had gotten no work done that day, and hadn't been able to sleep until she’d heard from him by text that he was okay.

She fell asleep that night with her phone tucked against her chest, in the off-chance that he would call or text her.  

When he finally returned 2 days later, she’d waited till he was in his trailer, and she was away from prying eyes, to go see him.   She had knocked tentatively on the door, and held her breath until he’d yelled for her to come in.

“It’s…it’s me,” she murmured quietly as she stepped inside his trailer.  She closed the door behind her, and followed the short hallway down to his room;  she was not remotely prepared for the sight before her.

He was propped up on a pile of pillows - naked from the waist down - save for the sterile gauze wrapped around his torso and shoulder.  He had a bandage over his left eyebrow, his beautiful cheeks were cut up, and his lip was swollen and bruised.  She quickly looked down, instead focusing on his blanket rather than his face.

“Hey, babe,” Jeffrey smiled and held his hand out to her.  She took it, even as she bit her lip and struggled not to cry.  He pulled her down, and she sat next to him, just barely perched on the edge of his bed.

“You alright?” Jeffrey curiously asked when he realized she wouldn’t meet his eyes. “Joey?”

Joey fiddled with the edge of his blanket, but words had escaped her.  It was only when Jeffrey reached up and tilted her chin with his fingers, forcing her to look up at him, that she couldn't hold back any longer. That lone tear finally won out, and rolled down her cheek,  a silent betrayal of all the turmoil going on inside her.  She helplessly shrugged her shoulders at him, both embarrassed and ashamed at her behavior. With a chuckle,  Jeffrey pulled her down, and situated her so that she was nestled against his uninjured side.

“I don’t know what to do with you, Joey,” Jeffrey mumbled into her hair as he held her close. His strong fingers lightly rubbed along the back of her hand where he held it pressed to his chest.

“I’m sorry,” Joey sniffled and wiped at her nose with her free hand. “I’m being ridiculous, I know.”

“A little, but it doesn’t make it any less cute,”  Jeffrey chuckled again, and this time he planted a sweet kiss on top of her head. “Been a while since I had someone worry over me like this.”

“You almost got blown up!” Joey hissed, her anger rising as she thought about how careless and stupid he’d been. “Don’t ever do that shit again!” She swiped at her eyes again, her tears now hot in her frustration with him.

Wisely, Jeffrey said nothing, and had only pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head again to settle her down.  She cried for a little while longer, and eventually fell asleep against him.  Every now and then her breath would hitch, and Jeffrey felt his heart clench at the pain he’d caused her.  He wanted nothing more than to make it all better for her, to ease her worry, but he couldn't do anything in the condition he was in.  He was helpless, and hated that feeling more than anything.  

His whole body was aching; his ribs burned like a son-of-a-bitch, and he needed to take his medicine, but he would be damned if he moved Joey.  Not when she was nestled so sweetly against him, so trustingly.   It was where he’d wanted her for so long, and if it took him getting blown up and shit, then so be it.

It was that night, as he’d lain awake in pain and staring out the window of his small trailer, that he realized he felt something for the woman tucked against his side.  He never wanted to see her cry when looking at him like she had earlier, and he never wanted her to worry the way she had over him.  All he wanted to do was see the way her nose crinkled when he'd actually succeeded in making her laugh at some corny joke of his, and to feel again the way the top of her head fit right under his chin when he hugged her good-night a few weeks ago.  

With a sigh, he shifted as much as he could to get comfortable, and wrapped his good arm around Joey and pulled her even closer to him.  

He accepted his fate;  somewhere between that lonely tree out near the edge of the woods, and a trip to the hospital, he'd fallen in love.  


	3. Chapter 3

**_A_ _few_ _weeks_ _later_...**

  
They were wrapping up the finale, and everyone was working their asses off to get it done, and get it done right.  It was grueling, night after night, and day after day of 10-12 hour days.  Everyone was running on fumes, and not much else.  Emotions were high as were tempers, and Joey was feeling it just as much as the rest of them.    While she was relieved that it was almost over, her heart was breaking at that thought of not seeing Jeffrey for such an extended period of time.  Most everyone was leaving Georgia, and going back to wherever home was until filming started again in the late summer.  

_It was a long damn time to be without him._

They hadn’t really discussed their plans once filming had wrapped, although she was fairly certain he was going back up to his home in upstate New York. He always talked about his farm, and animals, and how much he missed the solitude.  Still, there’d been no mention of if they would stay in contact, or _how_ they would stay in contact, and it was causing a heavy dose of heartache for Joey.  She almost felt like he was pulling away from her, distancing himself emotionally before he did physically, and it hurt.  

It hurt.

It hurt so badly,  and she didn’t know what to do about it...and so she did nothing.  She did her job, made small talk with him and had the occasional lunch, but that was about it. That moment they shared in his trailer after his injury was long gone, replaced by hurried hellos and quick, impersonal text messages.   The more intense the filming for the finale got, the more distant Jeffrey got.  She knew how she felt about him, but she had no indication that he might feel any kind of way towards her, and so she certainly wasn't going to make a fool of herself and proclaim her love for him.  It wasn't the declaration she was afraid of - _it was the rejection that terrified her._ It knotted her stomach up, and she just couldn't do it, couldn't take that chance, not when he was so far from her.  

She pulled back too, and focused on her job;  it was the only thing that kept her mind off the impending separation.

The last day of filming was a scene that involved Rick and Negan, and the entire cast was very, very upset.   It was a difficult day for everyone, and Greg, being the awesome boss he was, had allowed Joey to sneak off early. There were just some things she didn’t want to see Jeffrey doing, or even pretending to do. She just couldn't do it, and Greg understood.

He didn't ask questions about her and Jeffrey, but Joey knew her boss had deduced that she'd developed feelings for the show's bad guy.  Thankfully, though, he left it alone.  

While the rest of the crew was filming,  Joey was hiding away in her small trailer, doing her best to ignore the sounds coming from outside.   She had just stepped out of the shower when she got the text from him.

**Jeff: We’re finally done. Come over?**

Her hands started trembling, and she felt the tears well up in her eyes as she stared down at her cell phone.

He was done filming and he was probably getting ready to leave like everyone else. The place emptied quickly once the cast and crew were released, and she was sure Jeffrey was going to be no different.  She swallowed the lump in her throat and got dressed; it was now or never, and she might as well get it over with.  A few minutes later, she was standing before his door, and she knocked lightly.  

Her phone buzzed in her hand.

 **Jeff: Come** **in**

Taking a deep breath, Joey opened the trailer door and stepped inside.  Jeffrey was nowhere to be seen, but she heard noise in the back, and so she followed the small hallway down to the bedroom area.  As she passed by the bathroom, the door was open and she saw his reflection staring back at her from the mirror.  

    

Jeffrey was leaning on the edge of the sink countertop, his shirt off.  He broke out in a tired grin when he saw Joey standing behind him and he turned around.  He held out his hand to her, and Joey noticed immediately that he was trembling, his hand shaking as he reached for her.  

“What’s the matter?” she asked as she took his hand in hers.  It was cold, and he was still trembling when he pulled her to him and enveloped her in a hug.  She didn’t even care that he was sweaty and dirty, and still covered in fake blood; if just for this small moment in time, all was right with the world.  

He said nothing, only sat there, his body tense as he held her.  Joey leaned back to look up at him in concern; he was acting so strange, and even now, his body was still trembling against her.  

“Jeff, are you okay?”  She noticed just how weary he looked up close, but there was something else in his eyes, almost a fearful, haunted look that scared her.  She reached up and cupped his scruffy cheek and stared into his eyes. “What’s the matter?”

He just shook his head, and looked down at his lap.

“Jeffrey! Talk to me.”  Joey was really getting scared now.

He took a deep breath, and pulled her hand down from his face, his fingers intertwining with hers as he finally spoke.  He still wouldn't meet her eyes.  

“That scene. It was fucking brutal, and I scared the shit out of myself.” His voice was low, barely above a whisper as he confessed to her. “I didn’t think I could go to a place so dark, but I did…and…god Joey, they were all screaming.”

She could hear the anguish in his voice, and her heart broke.  She had known the scene was gonna be intense, and Andy had said it made him physically ill, but she never really thought about the toll it would take on Jeffrey, what with him being the one to carry out all the horrendous things he had to do to portray Negan.   Being an actor was something so many people aspired to be, but the reality was that it could be a psychological nightmare, one that could push you way outside your comfort zone to places no one wanted to go.   She had seen some of the veteran actors struggling greatly after filming some of the tougher scenes, and The Walking Dead was no joke insofar as brutality and emotions. 

“Lauren, and Danai…they were screaming, and it was so fucking real.” He bowed his head, rested his forehead against her shoulder, and sighed deeply. “I swear I can’t get it out of my head, Joey.  I can still hear the screaming, and I don't know how to make it stop.”

Joey, not knowing what else to do, wrapped her arms around him and held him as tight as she could.  She ran her fingers through his sweaty, dirty hair, and just stayed with him.  She didn’t know what else to do, and she felt so damn helpless.  

She didn't know how long they stood there like that, just holding each other.  It was some time before he stopped trembling, and when he finally lifted his head to look at her, she could see that some of the light had returned to his beautiful brown eyes.   His smile was weak, but it was stronger than before, and for that she was thankful.

“I think I’m gonna take a shower,” Jeffrey nodded over at the tub.

“I think that’s a good idea,” Joey wrinkled her nose as she playfully teased him.  Jeffrey stood, towering over her, and she had to step back lest she be flush against his chest.

“You saying I stink, woman?”  Jeffrey chuckled as he reached over and turned on the shower.  His teasing nature was coming back, and Joey felt a little more relief at having pulled him back from whatever edge he had been teetering on earlier. 

“You _could_ do with a bath,” Joey laughed as she held up her hands. “That’s all I’m saying!”

Jeffrey grinned as he pulled his towel off the rack by the sink and slung it over the shower curtain rod.  It was quickly getting steamy in the small bathroom, and Joey backed up and out into the hallway.

“Will you wait for me?” Jeffrey asked quietly. “I won’t be long, I promise.”

Joey swallowed that lump again, knowing she was playing with fire. Of course she wanted to stay, but at the same time she didn’t want to stay if he was going to tell her he was leaving. Ultimately her heart won out, and she nodded her head at him.  She never could say no where he was concerned...

“I’ll watch tv or something until you're done.”

Jeffrey gave her a small smile, but said nothing as he closed the door.

Joey made her way back down to the living area and plopped down on his couch. She grabbed a blanket that was casually draped over the arm of the couch, and wrapped it around her shoulders, but even that was painful.   Everything here smelled like him, and she felt the tears prick at her eyes again at the thought of never seeing him again.  She knew damn good and well that she couldn’t continue to work on this set with him, not feeling the way she did about him.  It just wouldn’t work, and it would affect everyone's work eventually,   so she'd made one of the most difficult decisions she'd ever made in her life.  She loved her job, and she loved her colleagues, but she knew her limits.  

She already had her resignation letter typed up and printed; she would give it to Greg tomorrow and be done with it.  She would leave and be done with it.

* * *

 

Less than 15 minutes later, Jeffrey appeared, looking much better than he had before. He was shirtless, wearing only sleeping pants, and Joey couldn’t hide her smile at the way his hair was sticking up everywhere.

_He was so damn cute._

“I tried to hurry,” he apologized as he sat down next to her and propped his feet up on the small coffee table before the couch.  

“It’s okay. You had a long day,” Joey replied.  Unable to resist, she reached over and tousled his wet hair, giggling as it stuck up even further.  Jeffrey closed his eyes and sighed in happiness as she played with his hair, her nails lightly scratching at his scalp.

“Uhmm... that feels good,” he murmured in contentment.   Joey could see that he was very clearly exhausted, and without thinking, tugged him down.  She helped him adjust so that his head rested on her lap and she continued running her fingers through his hair. He was practically purring, and even though she knew she was prolonging the inevitable, Joey couldn’t find it in herself to stop; she wanted to touch him as much as possible before she couldn’t anymore.

As she played with his hair and massaged his scalp, she allowed her eyes to roam across his bare chest.  She grimaced when she saw the remnants of the bruises from his accident, but none of it detracted from the beauty that was Jeffrey.  His shoulders were broad, and his pectoral muscles were clearly defined.  He was a big man, but he was long, and lean, with a trim waist. His chest was covered in a light dusting of dark salt and pepper hair that tapered down to his navel and disappeared beneath the waist band of his pants.  And the tattoos....god help her he had tattoos over his chest and arms.  She swallowed hard, and dragged her eyes back up to his face, only to realize that he was staring up at her.

Joey’s eyes widened, knowing he’d caught her looking him over, and she could feel her cheeks blooming with embarrassment.

Jeffrey reached up and pulled her face down to his, and before she realized what was happening, his lips were on hers.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm not happy with the ending, but I've got to get some damn sleep, so basically shit happens. Sorry.

He was kissing her.

He was kissing her, and all she could focus on was the smell of him, of the feel of his lips against hers and the way his beard rubbed her flushed cheeks.

She never wanted it to stop.

Jeffrey pushed himself up off her lap and turned to her, and took her cheeks in his hands as he pulled her in for another kiss. He nuzzled the corner of her mouth with his lips, just ghosting over her enough to break her skin out in goosebumps. He pulled back, only to stare into her eyes. His dimples were on full display as he smiled at her.

“Do you know how long I’ve wanted to do that?” He rubbed the pad of his thumb over her lower lip, and seemingly unable to help himself, leaned in for another kiss. “God, you taste so damn good!”

“Then why haven’t you ever kissed me before?” Joey asked timidly. She had to know where she stood with him. If all he wanted was a one-night stand, she’d take that over nothing. It would hurt, but he was worth it.

“Well for a long time I didn’t think you wanted me to,” Jeffrey admitted bashfully.

“Are you insane?” Joey couldn't decided whether she wanted to be mad at him, or kiss him again. _Was_ _he_ _that_ _daft_? Or was she that off-putting that he didn’t realize she’d wanted him since the day she met him?

Jeffrey grinned as he took her hand in his and brought it up for a sweet kiss. He tenderly rubbed his lips against the back of her hand and continued speaking.

“Look, I’m just gonna be real honest here, okay?”

Joey braced herself, not knowing what was coming next…

“I’m in love with you, Joey. There’s no other way for me to say it. I’m in love with you, and I probably have been since the day I met you at the tree. Hell, even before that I followed you around like a weirdo, but I guess you didn’t notice. Fuck! And I wanted to tell you so bad, but I also knew that I had to get this story done, and I couldn't do that with the way I was feeling for you.” He stared back at her with those big brown eyes of his, waiting patiently for her reaction.

Joey’s face slowly broke out into a grin as the realization washed over her. He hadn’t been pulling away out of dislike; he’d done it so that he could get his job done.

_He loved her._

_And she loved him._

She pulled him in for another kiss, and she couldn't help the fact that she was crying and laughing, all at the same time. When Jeffrey pulled back to stare at her, he had a bemused smile on his face.

“What’s going on, babe?” He gently cupped her cheek again, and used his thumb to wipe away another tear as it rolled down her cheek.

“I’m in love with you, too,” she whispered shyly.

“Come here, you,” Jeffrey growled as he pulled her to him and onto his lap. The atmosphere had changed, and she could feel it. It was like the sweetness was gone, and it had been replaced with something altogether more charged, more exciting.  She could feel him, hard underneath her bottom, and she bit at her lower lip as she waited for what came next. This was about as far as she’d ever gotten with a man before she’d stopped it from going any further.

Jeffrey lightly grasped her chin with his fingers and pulled her to him for another kiss. All the while, his free hand traveled up and down her back and over her thigh, eliciting soft sighs and whimpers from her. She was trying desperately hard to maintain some semblance of control of herself, but she felt the wetness explode between her legs, and the ache began in earnest when his fingers dug into her thigh to pull her closer.

“I need to make love to you,” Jeffrey growled against her lips. His teeth held her lower lip captive, and Joey whimpered again as she squirmed on his lap. It must have been all the permission Jeffrey needed,  because he lifted her off his lap and stood, taking her by the hand as he started walking.

At the small hallway, Jeffrey turned and walked backwards towards his room, gently pulling Joey along with him. When they reached the door to his small bedroom, he hesitated. He pulled her hand up to his mouth and rubbed the back of it against his lips as he spoke. God, he loved this woman before him, and he wanted nothing more than to make everything perfect for her.

“Are you sure, baby?” His brown eyes bored into hers, needing a confirmation that she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Joey tremulously smiled up at him, and she leaned up on her tip-toes and snaked a hand around the back of his neck.

“Positive,” she replied as she pulled him down to her for another sweet kiss. Jeffrey could hear the nervousness in her voice, and he pulled back again. He needed to know what her hesitation was before they went any further. He had fucked up way too many relationships before; he was going to do this thing right with Joey.

“Baby…Joey…we can wait, okay? I don’t want to pressure you into doing something-“

Joey shushed him with a gentle finger against his lips, and she felt her cheeks bloom with color at what she was about to tell him. It was now or never, and never really wasn’t what she wanted, so…

“I’ve never done this,” she gestured between their bodies with her hand, hoping he’d get the message.

“Never done what, sweetheart?” Jeffrey asked as he pulled her back into his arms. Joey squirmed against him, knowing she needed to get it out before they went any further. She was mortified, but knew she needed to be honest. Who the hell was a virgin at 29? Especially in this day and age???

“Never done _this_ ,” she gestured between them again with her hand. When she looked up and saw Jeffrey’s confused look, she pointed at the bed. “ _I’ve_ _never_ _done_ _that_!” Her brows drew together in annoyance as she waited for him to catch her drift. Why couldn’t he just get it, already?

Jeffrey stared down at her for just a moment more, but then his brows rose and his dimples appeared as his smile grew; she’d swear that his chest puffed out more than it usually was, and he just might have gotten a little taller. He couldn’t look more self-satisfied if he tried, and Joey felt her cheeks bloom anew at that fact that he knew exactly what she was talking about.

He pulled her to him again, but this time he tenderly cupped her cheeks in his large hands as his eyes met hers.

“You are the most adorable thing I have ever laid eyes on.” He kissed her gently, his warm lips moving over hers as he claimed his prize. Joey barely realized he was leading her back to the bed, so dazed by his kisses she was. It was only when he sat down and pulled her down on top of his lap again, that she realized it was really happening. Jeffrey had situated her so that she was straddling him, her thighs resting on the outside of his, and he gently guided her hands up and around his neck.

Jeffrey reached up and pulled the elastic band from her hair, and tangled his fingers in the mass of waves he’d just released. Joey moaned in delight at the feeling of him scratching at her scalp with his dull fingernails, and she tilted her head back to give him better access. Jeffrey took advantage of her exposed neck, and quickly set upon it with his teeth. Small nips were followed by soothing kisses, each tiny bit of pain quickly buffered by immense pleasure as his lips brushed against her delicate skin. The feeling of his warm lips and rough beard against her neck and jaw was driving her insane, and she squirmed against him. Her body instinctively knew what it wanted, what it needed, and she ground her core against him.  Her movements cause Jeffrey to groan against her neck, and she felt a fresh wave of wetness pool between her legs.

His hands grasped at her thighs and held her still as he raggedly breathed into her neck; he was struggling to maintain some control, but it was getting harder by the second. _He_ _was_ _getting_ _harder_ _by_ _the_ _second_ , if that were possible.

“Baby…sweetie…we gotta go slow, okay?” Jeffrey was practically growling, and his fingers were almost painful as they gripped the top of her thighs to keep her still.

“But I don’t want to,” Joey whined as she wriggled against him again. She knew how sex worked, and she knew what she wanted, but she had not been prepared in the slightest for the burning ache that was building between her thighs; she would do anything to appease it, anything at all.

Grumbling low in his throat, Jeffrey ran his hands up under the back of Joey’s shirt and quickly helped her remove it. Before she had time to be embarrassed, he had turned them around and placed her on the bed. She lay flat on her back, watching him from under heavily-hooded eyes.  He dropped sweet kisses along the way as he crawled back up her body; she gripped his thighs with hers,  gladly welcoming him between them.

  

Jeffrey kissed her, but all Joey could think about was the feeling of his bare chest pressed against her; the only thing separating her from him was a flimsy bra, and she wanted it gone. She reached behind her, struggling to undo the clasp so that she could be skin-to-skin with him. Seeing her struggle, Jeffrey reached behind her and deftly undid her bra, and he whistled through his teeth as he pulled it from her body. One rough hand came up to gently cup one full breast, causing Joey to tilt her head back against the mattress in order to give him better access. She had never had someone touch her there, and she never wanted it to stop.

“You are so damn beautiful,” Jeffrey murmured against her breast as he leaned down to nuzzle her. Joey was going insane, her senses overloaded with his hands and lips and beard touching her all over her bare skin. She was dying, and he was killing her. This all just felt too good, and her head was spinning, and she was delirious with desire.

When his mouth enveloped one pebbled nipple, she couldn’t contain the whimper that escaped her. His rough tongue circled her, while his hand cupped her other breast. The rough pad of his thumb rubbed over her taut nipple, drawing gasp after gasp as she tried to catch her breath.

“Breathe sweetie, breathe,” Jeffrey murmured against her sensitive skin. His beard was chafing her, leaving red marks along her chest and around her breasts, and he grinned with masculine pride.

He released her breast and slid his hand down her stomach, watching in delight as she trembled under his touch.   She would never know how happy it made him to know he was going to the first man to touch her here… _he slid his hands do_ wn _below the waist of her sweats…_ to touch her there.  When his fingers found her the edge of panties, her head came up off the mattress and she stared down at him with wide eyes.

He moved back up and kissed her again, although his hand remained at the edge of her panties.  He nipped at the edges of her lips, nuzzling her gently as his fingers slowly worked their way under the edge of her panties. A little further and he felt the wetness coating his fingertips before he even reached his destination; she was dripping wet, her cotton panties soaked through, and he clenched his jaw and forced himself to try to calm down.  She was gonna have him coming in his pants just from touching her, for fucks sake!

“Oh god!” Joey breathed out as Jeffrey ran one long finger down the center of her core, dragging it slowly through the wetness and back up again.  She couldn’t control the movement in her hips, and she they seemed to undulate of their own accord against the friction of his rough fingertip.  When he parted her lips and slid one long finger down past her clit and to her entrance, Joey bowed up off the bed,  and she grabbed at his shoulders, at his hair, at anything within reach, as her orgasm washed over her.  Her whimpers and pants were intermingled with unintelligible words…his name…and a few curse words that might make even him blush.

Jeffrey grinned to himself, thoroughly satisfied that he could bring her to that point so quickly. She was so damn sensitive to his touch, and that pleased him beyond measure. He gently dragged his hand out from her panties and slid back up body, dropping kisses along the way. When he was finally back to being able to kiss her, he did so softly. He propped himself up on one forearm and stared down at her. Her cheeks were flushed still, and he could see that she was still a little dazed.

“You’re so damn pretty, Joey,” Jeffrey praised her again. Her lips were slightly parted, and still very pink from where he’d been kissing her and where she’d been biting her lip.

“I’ve never had a man do that to me before,” she whispered, almost in wonder. Jeffrey felt his chest swell with a little more pride. God damn did she make him feel like a man!

“Never?” Jeffrey couldn’t help but ask. He trailed a finger along the edge of her collarbone, committing every freckle, every nuance of her body to memory.

“Never,” Joey shivered under his touch. “I mean, I can, but not-” She clapped her hand over her mouth, and Jeffrey grinned as he watched the area above her breasts flush with embarrassment at what she was about to reveal. He leaned over her, and kissed her again.

“You touching yourself? That’s something you’re gonna have to show me later, sweetheart.” He winked at her, and chuckled as her blush deepened. He sat up and rocked back on his heels as he looped a finger through the edge of her sweatpants and started pulling them down.

“But right now, I’m gonna make love to you.”

Joey didn’t have time to be embarrassed about her masturbation revelation, for Jeffrey had completely rid her of her sweats and panties, and she was fully bare before him. He’d even pulled her socks off, and he ran his hands along her calves and up her thighs as he traveled the length of her body. When he nestled himself between her thighs again, she realized that he’d somehow gotten rid of his sleep pants as well.  He rested himself between her legs again and grabbed her about her wrists, forcing her to rest her hands on the mattress next to her head.   

 

  

She could feel him, hot and hard, pressed against how lower stomach, and she felt a bit of fear for the first time since they’d started.  He felt like he was huge, and she couldn't stop the the crease between her eyebrows as she thought about how they were gonna make this work. She’d heard all kinds of horror story about how painful intercourse was the first time, but she’d gone to the OB for birth control and not had problems, so that had to count for something, right?

“What you worrying about down there?” Jeffrey asked gently.

“Nothing!” Joey squeaked out, a little too enthusiastically. Jeffrey pulled up to stare down at her.

“Babe, do you wanna stop?” He asked the question because he loved her, not because he wanted to stop. His fucking body was screaming for her, but he loved her enough to give her time.

“No, no I don't want to stop,” Joey shook her head at him. She reached up and pulled him back down to her with her hand at the back of his neck. When his chest came into contact with hers, she sighed in contentment; would she ever get tired of feeling him pressed against her?

“I love you, Joey, and I would never do anything to hurt you,” Jeffrey vowed solemnly. “Ever.”

“I know, and I love you too. It’s just nerves, I think.” Joey kissed him on the tip of his chin, but Jeffrey pulled back yet again. His brown eyes were dead serious.

“You just say the word and we stop, okay?”

Joey pulled him back down to her and kissed him, doing her best to convey her feelings for him through touch. She released him, but her lips were pressed against his cheek as she softly whispered, “Make love to me, Jeffrey. Please.”

She stared up at him, loving him, encouraging him…wanting him. She wanted him more than she’d ever wanted anything in her life and she needed him to know that. She reached for him again, for another searing kiss, and she felt her heart rate pickup as she felt the tip of him nudging at her entrance. He felt huge, and she again wondered how that was going to work; she wrapped her arms around his neck and held on. Her legs were already trembling at his sides as he pushed into her.

“Kiss me, sweetheart,” Jeffrey nuzzled her nose with his, and Joey obliged. She felt his tongue slip in her mouth at the same time she felt an almost unbearable pressure build inside her. She found it harder and harder to focus on the feeling of his lips against hers as her body stretched to accommodate his large size, and she tried to pull her mouth away from his, but he wouldn’t let her.

“Trust me, baby,” Jeffrey whispered against her lips as he pulled back out of her tight body. His forehead was pressed against hers as he stared into her eyes. “Trust me, okay?”

Joey nodded, trusting him completely. She felt Jeffrey reach down and gently grip her thigh, lifting it up and out so that she was fully open to him, and she held her breath as he positioned himself at her entrance once more. Joey closed her eyes, her breath coming in small pants as Jeffrey pushed into her once more. This time he didn’t stop, and just when she thought she couldn’t possibly take anymore of him, he snapped his hips, filling her completely. She cried out, and her nails dug into the skin of his back as she held him to her. They were both trembling, and both were completely still.

It was not quite painful, but it wasn’t what she was expecting either. It was a burning fullness, and she was still panting as she waited for what was to come next. She vaguely felt Jeffrey’s hand slide back down the inside of her thigh, but when he lightly pressed his finger at that tiny bundle of nerves right above where they were joined so tightly, she nearly screamed in pleasure. Another wave of wetness flooded over them both, and Jeffrey groaned into her neck as he struggled for his own breath.

“You’re so damn wet, baby,” Jeffrey grunted as he lightly circled her clit with his fingertip.

Joey moaned, unsure of how to move, or if she should move. All she knew was that the burning was gone, it having quickly been replaced by that same growing ache yet again. It was relentless, and it was driving her mad. She wriggled her hips, and her walls involuntarily clenched around Jeffrey.

“Fuck!” He hissed into her neck, his fingers bruising as he tightly gripped her thigh again to halt her movements. She was gonna be the death of him, that was for damn sure…

“Jeffrey…I don’t know what…please…” Joey whined as she moved again, this time rolling her hips against him in an effort to get closer. It was all-consuming, this need she had, and she didn’t care what she had to do to appease it.  She clenched her thighs against his flanks, and her hands roamed over his back as she tried to pull him further into her.  Where he was going to go, she didn’t know, but all she cared about was getting closer to him, to feeling him more deeply inside her; she simply couldn't get enough of him.

“Move with me, Joey,” Jeffrey grunted as he slowly began to rock against her. Joey gasped at the feeling of his long length sliding out of her, and her breath was taken away again when he slid back in. He was completely buried inside her, so deep that she couldn’t tell where he ended and she began.  He rolled his hips again, eliciting a shock of pleaure that rocked her to her core. She locked her heels against his lower back, and held on, undulating her hips in rhythm to his thrusts. In and out, long and steady, Jeffrey thrust into her over and over, each time taking her higher and higher, to where she knew not.   All she could concentrate on was the feeling of him inside her, so full, and so warm, and so hard.

It wasn’t long before she felt the tremble in her thighs, before she felt the deep ache build in her lower groin, and moments later, the damn finally burst, and she screamed out his name as another orgasm crashed over her in wave after delicious wave of pleasure.

“Ah fuck! Ahh…” Jeffrey growled as he burst inside her, his climax triggered by the feeling of her clecnching around him where he was buried so deep, and so hard.  His hips stilled as he spilled himself inside Joey, his body shuddering over and over again as completely spent himself.  With one last deep pant, he buried his face against her neck and waited for his body to stop trembling.

Underneath him, Joey smiled as she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. With her other hand, she ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of Jeffrey’s neck, still marveling at what had just happened.  Jeffrey leaned up and smiled down at her. 

"Am I hurting you?"  He propped himself up on his forearms, lifting some of his weight off her. But Joey was greedy, and pulled him down for more.  

"When can we do it again?"  She nipped at his ear when Jeffrey turned his head to the side.  Without warning, he rolled them over, forcing Joey to take up position across his stomach.  

"I'm good with now, but this time you're on top."  He grinned up at her as his eyes drank in the sigh of her.  She was gorgeous, and he could kick himself for waiting so long to come clean.  He reached up, and cupped her breasts with his large hand, drawing more moans from Joey.   His hands slid around to her back and he pulled her back down to him;  he loved the feeling of her breasts as they flattened against his chest.  

"Jeffrey...what?"  Joey asked, not knowing what he was doing,  but her face completely contorted when Jeffrey moved her in such a way that she slid back onto his already-hardened length.  He pushed slowly, allowing her to take him in as much as she wanted.   Her thighs were trembling again, and he would never forget the sight of her seated atop him, her beautiful breasts rosy with desire as she rolled her hips against him, over and over until she and he both reached yet another orgasm.  

* * *

 

Joey was tucked into Jeffrey's chest, her back to his chest, and she was drifting in and out of consciousness.    Jeffrey was lightly rubbing her fingers across her shoulder, dropping little kisses along her neck every now and then.  

"I'm glad you let me sit with you under your tree,"  Jeffrey sleepily murmured. 

Joey giggled.  "I'm glad you came and sat with me."

"You're coming with me to New York for the break,"  Jeffrey was getting sleepier and sleepier, and Joey couldn't help but giggle again when she heard the first soft snore escape him.  

She was so damn happy, and she was in love, and she was going with Jeffrey;  she wasn't going to be alone, and she wasn't going to lose him.

She loved him, and he loved her...and that was all that mattered.  

She closed her eyes, a happy smile on her face as she drifted off to sleep in the arms of the man she loved. 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
